diff --git a/models/behaviors/linkable.php b/models/behaviors/linkable.php
index cb0622b..8bc10da 100644
--- a/models/behaviors/linkable.php
+++ b/models/behaviors/linkable.php
@@ -259,14 +259,14 @@ class LinkableBehavior extends ModelBehavior {
 			// in either/or, but a couple should include BOTH the
 			// options AND the association settings.
 			foreach (array('fields', 'conditions') AS $fld) {
-				if (empty($options[$fld]))
-					$options[$fld] = array();
-				elseif (!is_array($options[$fld]))
+				if (isset($options[$fld]) && empty($options[$fld]) && !is_array($options[$fld]))
+					unset($options[$fld]);
+				elseif (!empty($options[$fld]) && !is_array($options[$fld]))
 					$options[$fld] = array($options[$fld]);
 
-				if (empty($association[$fld]))
+				if (isset($association[$fld]) && empty($association[$fld]) && !is_array($association[$fld]))
 					unset($association[$fld]);
-				elseif (!is_array($association[$fld]))
+				elseif (!empty($association[$fld]) && !is_array($association[$fld]))
 					$association[$fld] = array($association[$fld]);
 
 				if (isset($options[$fld]) && isset($association[$fld]))